Art of producing electrical terminals



Oct. 21, 1969 M. RANDAR ET AL 3,473,219

ART OF PRODUCING ELECTRICAL TERMINALS Filed July 10. 196'? v/yzwez K075;

4 722(5' azaar, JZz 4557a United States Patent ART OF PRODUCMG ELECTRICAL TERMINALS Magnus Randar, Menomonee Falls, and Jon H.

Olsen, Whitefish Bay, Wis., assignors to Artos Engineering Company, New Berlin, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed July 10, 1967, Ser. No. 652,257 Int. Cl. H01r 43/00 lU.S. Cl. 29-628 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates generally to improvements in the art of producing electrical terminal connectors, and relates more particularly to the provision of a unitary terminal strip having a multiplicity of terminals of difierent configurations and to an improved method of producing and attaching these terminals of different characteristics to the ends of a plurality of Wire strands.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the electrical industry, it has long been common practice to apply conductor terminals to the ends of electrical wires. Wherever possible, these terminal conductors are formed of sheet metal for low cost production and application as well as for ease of handling and use of automatic machinery.

It is also desirable, for purposes of economy and speed of production and application, to form the terminals of a single strip of sheet material by stamping operations or the like with the successive terminals being severed wires in sequence for application by crimping operations or the like with the successive terminals being servered from the common strip in a suitable manner.

While it has been relatively simple and has therefore become common practice to utilize such terminal strips and to apply the terminals as carried by the strip successively to the wires in the aforesaid manner in instances wherein all of the terminals are of like configuration, this has not been the case in instances wherein the terminals to be applied are of different configuration.

For example, many electrically operated appliances presently require a ground connection in order to obtain Underwriters approval, and it is only a question of time before the power cords of all electrical appliances and equipment will have to have such a connection to meet requirements. Since the ground terminal or prong is of a different cross-sectional shape than the shape of the conventional conductor terminals, it has heretofore been considered necessary to provide separate strips of terminals for application to each conductor wire or wire strand. Thus, separate operations are also required for the application of each type of terminal to the respective wire strands.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a single integrated terminal strip having conductor terminals of dilferent characteristics and a method of producing and applying the same which obviate the aforesaid disadvantages.

,- 4 3,473,219 Ice Patented Oct. 21, 1969 A further object of the present invention is to providea multiple conductor terminal strip comprising, a continuous carrier band, and a plurality of terminals all formed integral with the carrier band and extending laterally from a longitudinal edge thereof, at least some of the terminals being of dilferent configuration than others.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a method of producing multiple conductor terminal strips, which comprises, providing a continuous sheet metal strip with a plurality of integral laterally projecting blades, at least some of the blades being of different configuration than others, and bending the blades while they are all still integral with the continuous strip to provide a multiple conductor terminal strip wherein at least some of the terminals have dilierent characteristics than others.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

THE DRAWINGS A clear conception of the several features constituting the present improvements and of the construction of a typical multiple conductor terminal strip embodying the invention and of the method of producing and mode of utilizing the same may be had by referring to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a fragment of a typical multiple terminal blank illustrating the initial step in the present method of forming terminal strips;

FIGURE 2 is another fragmentary plan view of the terminal strip following the terminal bending or forming operation constituting the second step of the present method;

FIGURE 3 is a similar fragmentary plan view of the strip following the contraction thereof which is the final step in the production of the terminal strip per se;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view of the strip taken in the direction of the arrows 44 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the terminal strip similar to FIGURE 3 but showing the terminals ap plied to the strands of a three-conductor wire cord in accordance with the present method; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view of the end of the three-conductor wire with the terminals attached thereto and severed from the continuous strip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION While the invention has been shown and described herein as being especially applicable to the production of a terminal strip used with a three-conductor wire and in which each set of terminals includes a pair of male terminals and a ground terminal, it should be understood that it is not intended or desired to thereby limit the invention by such specific disclosure since the invention may obviously be untilized to advantage in the production of multiple conductor terminal trips wherein each strip comprises any number of sets of terminals of varying configurations. It is also contemplated that certain specific descriptive terms used herein shall be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the disclosure.

Referring now to the drawing, FIGURE 1 illustrates the initial step in the improved method. This step consists in the provision of a continuous sheet metal strip having a plurality of integral laterally projecting blades 12, 14, 16. This strip may be conveniently formed of a suitable electrically conducting sheet metal as by stamping operations. As shown, at least some of the blades are of different shape than others, and in the present instance, the blades 12 and 14 are shown as being of a configuration which will result in the formation of male conductor terminals while the blade 16 has been shown as shaped to provide a tubular ground conductor terminal in its final form.

Next, the blades are formed, as illustrated in FIGURE 2, to the desired final terminal configurations. For example, the blades 12, 14 are each bent transversely upon themselves along fold lines 18, 20 respectively to thereby provide the fiat male conductor terminals 22, 24, each of which may have the usual lateral projection 26, 28 respectively which serves as a positioner for the terminals when finally inserted in the molded plastic retaining plug, as shown. With respect to the blade 16, this blade is shown as having its opposite edges bent longitudinally to thereby form the tubular ground conductor terminal 30, the conductor 30 being also formed with the usual tongue 32 closing the lower end thereof. It should be noted that the blades 12, 14, 16 are all formed to the desired final terminal configurations 22, 24, 30 respectively while they are all still integral with the continuous strip 10. The assemblage thus provides an integrated multiple conductor terminal strip which includes at least some terminals of dilferent configuration than others.

Then, in order to permit application of the strands of a multiple strand wire to the successive sets of terminals 22, 24, 30, in a confined space Without requiring exclusive severance of the multiple conductor wire, the carrier band or strip 10 is contracted longitudinally. This contraction may be conveniently accomplished by bending the portions 34 located between the adjacent terminals laterally and outwardly of the longitudinal plane of the strip as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. Thus, after contraction, the carrier band or strip 10 has a generally corrugated configuration. This contraction of the strip 10 brings the terminals 22, 24, 30 of each set into closely adjacent proximity for convenient application of the terminals to the conductor wire.

The terminal strip thus formed to the configuration shown in FIGURE 3 may then be applied to selected strands of a multiple strand conductor wire 36. As shown in FIGURE 5, this is accomplished by locating the stripped ends of the wire strands 38, 40, 42 within the shank portions 44, 46, 48 of the respective conductor terminals 22, 24, 30 and then securing the wires in position in the usual manner by pinching the same within the shank portions 44, 46, 48 of the respective terminals, the edges of the shank portions being bent upon the wire strands. Thus, the carrier band or strip 10 performs the function of properly positioning the successive sets of terminals for application of the terminals to selected strands of the multiple conductor wire, and the application of the terminals to the wire may be conveniently formed in a single operation at a single station.

Either simultaneously with the terminal attaching operation or immediately thereafter, the terminals 22, 24, 30 are severed from the carrier strip 10. As shown in FIGURE 6, the severance of the terminal from the can rier strip 10 results in a multiple strand conductor Wire in which the several strands 44, 46, 48 are provided with individual conductor terminals 22, 24, 30 respectively, and this multiple conductor wire is then ready for use and/ or application of the usual molded plug.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that the multiple conductor terminal strip comprises, in generaL. a continuous carrier band lO, and a plurality of conductor terminals 22, 24, 30 which are all formed integral with the carrier band 10. The conductor terminals are spaced in closely adjacent proximity and all extend laterally from a longitudinal edge of the carrier strip 10, and at least some of the terminals 22, 24, 30 are of a different configuration than others. This integrated terminal strip has a great advantage in facilitating application of the terminals to multiple strand conductor wire, and by contracting the carrier band 10 longitudinally as by bending the same laterally outwardly of the longitudinal plane thereof between the terminals 22, 24, 30, the terminals of each set are brought into even closer proximity thereby reducing the amount of cutting or severance required between the wire conductor strands in order to apply the terminals thereto. Whereas it has heretofore been necessary to provide three separate strips of terminals for the specific application illustrated herein, one single integrated strip is required by the present invention. The application of the terminals 22, 24, 30 to the respective strands 44, 46, 48 is thereby greatly simplified, and the terminals may be applied in a most economical manner with the aid of relatively simple equipment.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the. following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

We claim:

1. The method of producing a multiplicity of electrical conductor terminals of different configurations for application to selected strands of a multiple strand conductor wire, which comprises, providing a continuous sheet metal strip having a plurality of integral laterally projecting blades at least some of which are of different shape than others, forming said blades to the desired final terminal configurations While they are all still integral with said continuous strip to thereby provide an integrated multiple conductor terminal strip which includes at least some terminals of different configuration than others, longitudinally contracting the continuous strip after formation of the blades to their final configurations, applying the terminals to selected strands of multiple strand conductor wire while the terminals are positioned by the continuous contracted strip, and finally severing the terminals from the contracted strip.

2. The method of producing a multiplicity of electrical conductor terminals according to claim 1, wherein the strip is contracted by bending the portions between adjacent terminals laterally outwardly of the longitudinal plane of said strip.

3. The method of producing a multiplicity of electrical conductor terminals according to claim 2, wherein the portions between adjacent terminals are all bent laterally outwardly of the longitudinal plane of said strip in a common direction.

4. The method of producing a multiplicity of electrical conductor terminals according to claim 1, wherein the terminals formed on the strip comprise successive sets, each of which correspond in number to the number of conductors contained in the multiple conductor wire.

5. The method of producing a multiplicity of electrical conductor terminals according to claim 4, wherein each set comprises three terminals, two of which correspond in shape and the other of which is a different shape.

6. The method of producing a multiplicity of electrical conductor terminals according to claim 5, wherein the two terminal of each set is a tubular ground terminal.

5 6 correspondingly shaped terminals are fiat and the other 3,140,364 7/1964 Swanke et al.

3,283,398 11/1966 Andre. 3,309,761 3/1967 Deakin. References Cited 3,394,454 7/ 1968 Logan 29-629 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 JOHN F. CAMPBELL, Primary Examiner a1 29193-5 XR R. W. CHURCH, Assistant Examiner Kumpp.

Barnes 29-630 XR US. Cl. X.R.

Clarkson et a1. 29 33.10, 163.5, 193.5, 629, 630; 113-119; 339-44 

